The Seattle City Council, the 9-member
legislative body of Seattle,
Washington, consists of nine members elected at large. Each
member's term is four years, and there are no limits on the number
of terms a member may serve.

Election of city council members occur on odd-numbered years,
with either 4 or 5 council members up for election based on
position number. The 4 even-numbered positions are up for election
November 3, 2009. The 5 odd-numbered positions are up for election
November 6, 2011. All council members' terms begin January 1.

Contents

Council
president

The Seattle City Council picks amongst its peers a council
president to serve a 2-year term, beginning January 1 of the year
following an election. The function of the council president is to
serve as the official head of the city's legislative department. In
addition, he/she is tasked with:

Establishing of committees and appointment of committee chairs
and members.

Presiding over meetings of the full council.

Assuming the duties and responsibilities of Mayor if the Mayor
is absent or incapacitated.

History

The Seattle City Council has taken several forms over the years.
During the years of the Washington Territory, Seattle was
incorporated by the Territorial Legislature as a town from January
14, 1865 until January 18, 1867 when the legislation was repealed
based on a citizens' petition. During this time, Seattle was
governed by a Board of Trustees. Seattle was re-incorporated as a
city on December 2, 1869. Its original unicameral legislature, known as the
Common Council, was elected at large. At large election was
replaced in 1884 by a system of 14 wards and four members
elected at large. The First Home Rule Charter replaced this in 1890
with a bicameral
legislature consisting of a house of delegates and a board of
aldermen. In 1896, a new charter returned the city to a unicameral
City Council.[1][2]

The present council structure of nine at-large members dates
from 1911. That year, the size of the council was halved to 9
members, and all seats came again to be elected at large; this
arrangement survives nearly a century later. Until 1946, all
council terms were 2 years; from 1946, terms have been 4 years,
with alternating groups of five and four elected every two
years.[1][2]

Salary

The Seattle City Council is the second highest paid in the
country. Currently, council members earn $103,878, with only Los
Angeles paying a higher wage to its city council members [3].